Iran celebrates ancient fire festival ahead of Persian New Year as tensions with US loom

By  VAHID SALEMI

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — I’ve worked for The Associated Press as a photographer since 1999. A lot of what I cover involves either Iran’s government or its relations with the West, but I also try to shoot on the streets of Tehran as well to show the world what life looks like here in my hometown.

An Iranian woman releases a wishing lantern while celebrating Chaharshanbe Souri, or Wednesday Feast, an ancient Festival of Fire on the eve of the last Wednesday of the Persian year, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

The fire festival offers a great opportunity for that.

Known as “Chaharshanbe Souri” in Farsi, the festival comes in the hours just before the Wednesday before Nowruz, which is the Persian New Year.

An Iranian man jumps over a firework celebrating Chaharshanbe Souri, or Wednesday Feast, an ancient Festival of Fire on the eve of the last Wednesday of the Persian year, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Iranians celebrate their new year, or Nowruz, with arrival of the spring. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

To celebrate, people light bonfires, set off fireworks and send wish lanterns floating off into the night sky. Others jump over and around fires, chanting “My yellow is yours, your red is mine,” invoking the replacement of ills with warmth and energy.

An Iranian man plays with a firework celebrating Chaharshanbe Souri, or Wednesday Feast, an ancient Festival of Fire on the eve of the last Wednesday of the Persian year, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

People dance while celebrating Chaharshanbe Souri, or Wednesday Feast, an ancient Festival of Fire on the eve of the last Wednesday of the Persian year, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

The fire festival also features an Iranian version of trick-or-treating, with people going door to door and being given a holiday mix of nuts and berries, as well as buckets of water.

It’s not necessarily an easy assignment though. Here in Iran, some people remain sensitive about having their photograph taken, particularly women who aren’t wearing Iran’s mandatory headscarf, or hijab.